this is no longer my blog

So today was a marathon day. And really I had every intention to be in bed by now. But as I turned off the tv after some much needed down time, I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you check your e-mail [even though you've checked it like 30 times today and each time you've had about the same amount of e-mails - ZERO]?" So I sat down at the computer and checked my e-mails. And, of course, did we ever doubt it, but there were ZERO e-mails to choose from, yet again. But then I thought that my blog reading audience might like to hear what I have been up to today, so I decided to share. My day started, as I said in my previous post, at the "butt crack of dawn." I got up and drove out to the restaurant where the Lutheran Men in Mission meet. That was good. Read about that in my previous post. Then I came back to church and got ready for our weekly text study group. Then we had that. After that I had a little bit to sit in my office and try to figure out what the heck needed to get done this week and to then prioritize that list. The list I came up with was: Tuesday night advent Bible study, Christmas sermon, Day after Christmas sermon, annual report. Those were the most important things on the list. So after I came up with the list and prioritized my objectives, it was time for staff meeting. So we met for staff meeting. That was half an hour, after which we went out to eat as a staff. And at the restaurant we ran into about half of our congregation members. So after lunch I met with the church council president to talk about my goal of starting a Young Adult group here at church. It was after that meeting that I had to go to the hospital to see if there were any members hospitalized because, thanks to HIPAA (or whatever the acronym is for those danged privacy laws in hospitals) they are unable to call us if one of our members is hospitalized. So instead upon entering the hospital, one of the many questions they are asked is if they belong to a church and want to make their hospitalization aware to their church. And if they say yes, and tell them what denomination they are a member of, then their name and denomination is placed on a "clergy list" and we have to go to the hospital and ask the front desk to see the clergy list and check to see if anyone on the list is a member (and you should all be aware as to how I feel about having to do that... It's in a previous post. Go read it.). So I did that, and luckily there were none of our members in the hospital. After that I had to copy stuff for my Bible study, and then go over it so I had some idea of where I was trying to lead the group this evening. So after I was done with that, and after about 15 cups of coffee, I thought I'd take a minute to relax. So I sat on the sofa in my office. Then people started arriving for the Youth Committee meeting. One man in particular who wants to start a water ski ministry at church talked to me for a bit, and I am very aware that he does not have a lot of support for this idea amongst the staff and a lot of members, but I tried to say things like "Well, it wouldn't hurt to check it out, right?" So this Youth committee meeting is at 6 and my Advent Bible study starts with soup at 6:15. So i figured I'd participate in the committee meeting until 6:30 and then go to the soup supper before my actual bible study started at 7. So I did that. Then my Bible Study got over at about 8:30. Then as I was walking back to the office I ran into a couple members who were planning the Women's retreat so I stopped and talked to them for a bit. Then I finally made it home at about 9:00pm, with really only a short visit home to get my car to go to the hospital and another short visit home to plug in my Christmas tree. So basically I was at church doing work for 14 hours today. And strangely, I LOVE MY JOB! Can I just say that? Despite the fact that I'm freaking out about having to write two sermons and an annual report in the span of six days. But I will survive, by the Grace of God. Of that I am certain. So I really am going to bed now, and I hope you are all having a blessed Christmas season.